Improved carpet-stretcher



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

F. J. COLLIER, OF CANONSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVED CARPET-STRETCHER.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 46,88?, dated March 21, 1865.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, F. J. COLLIER, of Ganonsburg, in the county of Vashington and State ot' Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Oarpet-Stretohers; and I do hereby decla-re that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ot' this specification, in which- Figure l is a view ot' the face of a carpetstretcher made according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-section taken on the line m of Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

This invention consists in constructing an implement for stretching and straightening` carpets preparatory to securing them to a tloor by means of a friction-surface, and in the use ot' which no injury is done to the fabric.

In laying and litting new carpets to a door, and in relaying them after housecleaning operations, it is very important that they should lie smooth, because creases and ridges not only spoil their appearance, but cause them to wear out sooner in these parts, which are more exposed. To bring them smooth upon the ooring is a ditlicult work, and various devices have been proposed to aid the labor of servants and upholsterers in this task. The implement which I have invented is designed to aid in this work, and to operate also without prongs for taking hold of the fabric by penetrating it. It is made light and can be handled and used with facility by persons of little strength, and it is so simple that it can be used with advantage by persons of small intelligence, and without damage to the carpet it is applied to, whether it be the costliest velvet carpet or fabrics of imsy make. A is a block of wood, upon Whose lower surface I secure a pad or covering, B, of rubber or gutta-percha. I have shown a roughened covering in this example of my invention, the object being to produce a good friction-surface. The covering or pad may be ot' leather, twinevcloth, cocoa-mattin g, brussels carpet, or of any other material which will give a good friction-surface. The covering is protected by a frame, O, of metal or other suitable material, which is bent over and secured along the edge of the bottom of the block, and also secured along its sides by means of nails or screws. The bottom ot' the block is cut away or chamfered along its edges in order that the surface of the pad may project below the projecting frame C. The handle D is to be about four feet in length and inclined at an angle of about forty-flve degrees with the face of the block. It should be set a little forward of the center of the block, so as to throw the pressure on its front part. The handle is here shown set in a socket bored in the block, but it may be better to place a metal socket on the block to receive the handle.

The block may be made lifteen incheslong, four inches wide, and about two inches thick. Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The carpet-stretcher above shown, con` structed to operate by friction, substantially as above described.

F. J. COLLIER. Witnesses:

WM. HoRNrsH, Gr. A. KIRK. 

